Yondaime's Heritage
by Talinar
Summary: An epic length Naruto fic that is based on the premesis that Naruto takes after his father in terms of his personality and Jutsu's rather than his mother as seen in the original series. AU, not a Super Naruto, simply a smarter and more serious one.
1. Introduction Arc: Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, then this is what the story would have looked like...

Author's Note: This is the beginning of an epic length AU fic for Naruto. The premise of this story is that rather than resembling his mother in personality and jutsu, he takes after his father instead. The result is that Naruto is far thoughtful, intelligent, and serious.  
You won't see anything particularly original or new in this particular chapter, just a touch of foreshadowing.

**13 Before Series  
Outskirts of Konoha**

A searing burst of pain tore through the Yondaime's body, as he was released from his rigidly held posture. He felt Gamabuta disappear in a burst of smoke, for what little that remained of his chakra was insufficient to sustain the massive summons. With Gamabuta gone, he found both himself and the baby who had been lying at his feet, falling downwards towards the ground. As the two of them fell, he reached out to grab the infant, cradling him protectively against his chest against the impact. He staggered heavily as he landed, demonstrating none of his characteristic grace or elegance of movement. He attempted to stand up straight, but swayed heavily for a moment before he collapsed onto the ground, turning as he fell to cushion the infant with his body.

Some small part of his mind expressed amazement at how quickly the strength had faded from his body. Even as his vision began to steadily darken, he gently reached out and caressed one of the whisker marks that had appeared on the newborn's face, before pulling him close and kissing his forehead.

"I hope that you find it in your heart to forgive me, Naruto." He whispered, "Grow strong and live well, my son."

With those final words, Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage of Konoha died.

*****

**2 Hours Later  
Hokage's Office**

Sarutobi Hiruzen watched over at the infant who was sleeping peacefully on the top of his desk. He pulled out his pipe, and began to tamp and pack its bowl with tobacco. The time and focus required to perform this task helped to calm him, and was a welcome distraction from the rage that filled him. After he completed the almost ritualistic actions, he leaned back in his chair, taking a long drag from the pipe before blowing the smoke out to hang in the room. His emotions now firmly under control, he looked over at the young Jounin who stood across from him patiently.

"Kakashi, I am promoting you to ANBU Captain effective immediately. I want you in charge of a team of ANBU who are to guard Naruto around the clock." Hiruzen spoke firmly and decisively, "After the reaction of the crowd today, I fear that I no longer completely trust the _Will of Fire_ as it applies to the civilian inhabitants of Konoha, or even some of our shinobi."

"By your command, Hokage-sama." Kakashi replied without hesitation, his voice crisp and impersonal. He saluted briefly, before he turned to leave.

Hiruzen heard the emotionless response, and felt a single tear leak down his check as he watched the back of the 14-year-old boy walk away from him. _I am really am too old for this_, Hiruzen thought. _All that I wanted to do was relax in my retirement_. _Why didn't you let me perform the sealing Minato?_ _You knew that you were leaving everyone behind, why couldn't you have simply waited_.

He exhaled another cloud of smoke into the room, as he looked down at the sleeping baby once more. The anger that he felt at the council and the rest of Konoha began to smolder again as he watched the sleeping infant. As he took another long drag off the pipe, he managed to suppress it once more.

_Am I really so committed to protecting a place so filled with shortsighted bigots? _Hiruzen asked himself again. _Naruto, I can only trust in you to prove them wrong. Show them that you really are Minato's legacy._


	2. Introduction Arc: Growing Up

Authors Note: Still no major changes, although you start to see a more pronounced difference in Naruto's personality. I am still laying down the background in a series of short expositions as Naruto grows up and enters the academy.  
In case you have trouble with the skips, the scenes are of Naruto at ages 6, 8½, and 10.

**6 Years Before Series  
Naruto's Apartment**

Naruto sat and looked at the bowl of ramen in front of him. He stirred it moodily, ignoring the sounds of the celebration going on outside.

_It's not fair._ He though miserably, _Why can't I participate in the festival too? From the way the villagers act, you would think I was the one who attacked Konoha._

His shoulders slumped as there was a dull thump from yet another object bouncing off the plywood that the Masks had nailed over his windows. _I hope that they remember to take them off tomorrow like they said they would._

A sudden knock at the door made Naruto glance over at the door. He got to his feet and walked over to the door, wondering who was coming to visit him. He saw a familiar figure in white and red robes standing in the hall when he pulled the door open.

"Ji-ji!" Naruto cried happily as he embraced the Hokage.

"It's nice to see you too." The Hokage replied as he patted Naruto's back reassuringly. "Can I come in?"

Naruto continued to hold onto the Hokage, taking comfort in his reassuring presence before finally releasing him and stepping back so that the Hokage could enter his apartment. The Hokage walked inside, smiling gently at the irreverent but affectionate style that Naruto had bestowed upon him. Naruto watched as the Hokage reached into one pocket, extracting his pipe and bringing it to his mouth.

"No smoking in here ji-ji." Naruto said immediately, waving his hands desperately. The Hokage glanced down at him, then let out a long sigh and returned the pipe to his pocket.

"How's the academy going?" The Hokage asked kindly, shaking his head at being admonished by the young boy.

"It's not that much fun ji-ji." Naruto complained. "I thought that it would be cooler because it's a ninja academy, but all we really do is sit in the classroom."

The Hokage was unable to contain a chuckle as he reached down to ruffle Naruto's hair affectionately.

"Well, you are only six. I'm sure that it will get more interesting when you are older." He said, "Hopefully this will help keep you occupied until then. Happy Birthday Naruto."

The Hokage then handed Naruto a small book, an indulgent smile on his face.

Naruto looked down at it doubtfully for a moment, before reading the cover of the book and grinning broadly at the Hokage.

"Thanks a bunch ji-ji!" He exclaimed happily, placing the book carefully on the table. He then turned back to the Hokage and began to jabber animatedly at him about what should be taught at the academy.

The book sat on the table, already forgotten by the child, at least for the moment. The Legend of the Gutsy Ninja was the title of the book, written on its cover in faded letters.

*********

**4 & ½ Years Before Series  
Indeterminate Playground in Konoha**

Naruto sat on the swing set, staring at the receding backs of the parents walking away with their children with forlorn eyes. _They won't even let their kids play with me._ He thought, _Why do I always have to be alone?_

He let out a long sigh and heaved himself to his feet. Naruto paused at the entrance to the playground looking over his shoulder into it one final time.

"I don't ever want to come back here!" He whispered sadly, before he turned to walk away.

Caught up in his depression, Naruto wandered the streets of Konoha aimlessly. He retained just enough presence of mind to avoid the main roads and stay on the back alleys and side streets of the village. In his current state of mind, he doubted that he was capable of enduring the cold and hateful stares that were always directed at him by everybody else in Konoha.

On one obscure path, he saw another lone figure sitting on the end of a dock that extended out into a small pond. Naruto paused and looked over at the other kid sitting there for a few seconds before finally recognizing him.

"Uchiha Sasuke." He murmured in surprise, wondering why the prodigy of the village was in such a lonely place.

As if Sasuke had heard the sound of his voice, he turned slightly and looked back at Naruto over his shoulder. The two children stared at each other, a connection born of shared hardship, solitude, and pain instantly springing to life. Suddenly, Sasuke turned away, breaking the bond of empathy that was linking the two. Naruto continued to gaze at Sasuke, shocked at the cold-shoulder that he had abruptly received.

"He really thinks that he doesn't need anyone else." He wondered aloud, "Sometimes I wish that I could close myself off to other people like that."

Naruto shook his head and turned back to the trail, the incident sending him spiraling downwards even further. As he continued his wanderings, his feet began to take him along the familiar path to the Hokage Monument. Soon enough, Naruo was sitting on his usual perch on top of the Yondaime's head, his feet dangling haphazardly over the edge. He ignored his precarious perch as he stared out over Konoha, his mind replaying the events of the day over again in his mind.

Naruto lost track of time as he looked out at the vista of the village and the surrounding forest. He collapsed back on to his back and was surprised to see stars twinkling in the sky above his head. A sudden disturbance behind him made Naruto sit up and glance behind him at the ANBU who had appeared in a sudden swirl of leaves.

"Hello Wolf-chan." He said, recognizing the familiar presence of one of his childhood guardians.

"It's starting to get late Naruto." Wolf replied calmly, "Shouldn't you be getting home now?"

"It's going to be a long walk back." Naruto muttered underneath his breath, before he heaved a long sight and climbed back up to his feet. As he slipped past Wolf, Naruto felt a hand land on his shoulder and he saw Wolf crouch down to be at eye level with him.

"Let's see if I can help some…" Wolf said with obvious amusement, before raising his left hand into a single half seal. Before Naruto could react, he felt himself being pulled along strongly, the world blurring around him. He started to panic when the sensation abruptly halted, and he found himself standing at the base of his apartment building

Naruto took a long breath, pulling himself back together as Wolf released his grip on his shoulder and rose back up to a standing position. As he regained his composure, the result of the jutsu hit him.

"That was awesome!" Naruto exclaimed in excitement. He reached out and started to tug on Wolf's left arm. "Can you teach me how to do it?"

"Maybe later." Wolf replied easily. He leaned over conspiratorially and stage-whispered in Naruto's ear, "In the mean time, let's keep this our little secret."

Naruto nodded emphatically at this, a wide grin on his face. Abruptly a thought struck him, and his disappeared into his apartment building in a sudden rush.

***

Wolf shook his head at the antics that Naruto was displaying. He leapt easily to the top of the building next to Naruto's apartment, melting into the shadows there with a casual grace born of long practice. Wolf glanced up at the stars briefly, already resigned to another long and boring night.

_Of course, that's better than the alternative_. Wolf thought ruefully with a shake of his head. _The last think Ibiki really needs is more of our own civilians to play with._

The sudden appearance of Naruto on his balcony brought Wolf back to the present, and he looked over alertly. To his surprise, Naruto was carrying a steaming cup of ramen in each hand. He placed one carefully on the top of the railing, and then waved one arm wildly as he looked around questioningly.

"Thank you Wolf-chan!" He said loudly, "I brought a snack out for you in case you get hungry."

Naruto then turned and disappeared back into his apartment.

Wolf stood there motionlessly, touched by the Naruto's gesture. _Your kid is just as thoughtful as you are, Minato-sensei._ Wolf thought, nostalgia abruptly coursing through him.

***

Naruto glanced up from his ramen at the glimpse of motion out of the corner of his eye. He smiled when he noticed that the cup of ramen had disappeared from his balcony. He returned his attention to the food in front of him, wondering when that Wolf-chan would teach him that cool jutsu that he had used to bring him back to his house.

*********

**2 Years Before Series  
****Classroom, Konoha Village Ninja Academy**

Naruto yawned broadly, before yelping as a piece of chalk struck him on the forehead.

"Stay awake!" Iruka yelled angrily, as he brandished another piece threateningly.

"That's not fair Iruka-sensei." Naruto said indignantly, pointing an accusing finger at another student in the class. "Shikamaru is asleep!"

Naruto was unable to resist laughing as Iruka's cheeks turned red in embarrassment. The second piece flew towards him as well, but he ducked underneath it, a broad grin on his face. The noise of the commotion roused Shikamaru, and he had just enough time to peer around the classroom sleepily before Iruka rounded on him.

_I like Iruka-sensei._ Naruto thought, _He may be strict and demanding, but at least he is a lot fairer than the rest of the teachers at the academy._

He looked down at the piece of paper that he had been attempting to take notes on. He read over the meager amount of notes that he had managed to take before slumping in resignation. His notes on the lecture were obviously a lost cause. Naruto reached into his pocket and extracted a small scroll. As he considered the scroll, he felt a touch of mild guilt for calling down Iruka's wrath on Shikamaru, but merely shrugged and unrolled it.

Naruto glanced over the numerous sketches and diagrams that covered the interior of the scroll. _I really need to start doing a better job of organizing this_. He thought absently, as he attempted to find the place that he had left off. Naruto nodded as he figured out what he had been working on previously, and briefly re-read his work before lifting his pencil and continuing to jot down notes.

_I think I have the containment portion of the sealing matrix worked out_. _The problem is that since its supposed to be an explosive tag, there isn't a whole lot of room for error. I'd really not like to find out that it doesn't work the hard way! Maybe if I didn't fully initiate the…_

Naruto slowly returned to reality as he realized that the rest of the class was completely quiet. He looked around questioningly, only to realize that everyone was staring at him.

"Uhh, what was the question again?" He asked hesitantly, one arm rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"Would you mind explaining to the class exactly what you were just saying?" Iruka asked him, a questioning look on his face. "I believe it was something about not wanting to find out the hard way and initiating something…"

_Note to self, need to break habit of thinking out loud!_ Naruto thought furiously, as his eyes darted around the classroom desperately. He sighed heavily as no likely avenues of escape presented themselves.

"Extra credit?" He finally answered, casting a final prayer to Kami for deliverance.

"Since you appear to be paying as much attention to my lecture as Shikamaru, I'll be seeing you after class as well, Naruto." Iruka said with a disappointed shake of his head.

Naruto nodded in acceptance, looking back down at the scroll for a brief moment before Iruka's next statement made him glace upward again askance.

"In the meantime, why don't you bring that scroll down here so you can concentrate on the class better." Iruka said, staring hard at Naruto.

Naruto sighed even more heavily, then rolled up the scroll and rose to his feet. He slowly walked to the front of the class and handed the scroll to Iruka with obvious reluctance.

"I get this back later right?" Naruto asked pointedly, his eyes staring at Iruka intensely.

"Of course you will." Iruka answered rather bemusedly, surprised by the uncharacteristic heat that Naruto was displaying.

Naruto nodded before returning to his seat, stoically ignoring the whisperings that were now making their way around the class. He slumped forward in his desk dejectedly, already resigned to an even longer and more boring day than usual.

Minor Notes:

*** Perspective Change

***** Scene Change

_Italics_-Thoughts/Emphasis when speaking

**Bold-**Scene


	3. Interlude: Iruka

Authors Notes: A Short One-shot on Iruka's perspective on Naruto. I will be doing these sorts of interludes periodically, whenever they seem to make sense or I feel that they are needed. I apologize for all those who want an actual continuation of the story, but I enjoy doing these types of short breaks in the story. Besides, they aren't nearly as bad as the filler in the actual anime…

**Interlude: Iruka**

Iruka capped the red pen and tossed it on top of the exams spread out over his desk before he stretched out luxuriously in relief. He looked down at the final test with a smile at the performance of his students, and one in particular. To his surprise, Naruto had done extremely well, matching the results of Uchiha Sasuke and exceeded only by the perfect score of Haruno Sakura.

Iruka shook his head fondly at the thought of Naruto. When the Hokage had transferred Naruto into his class, he had been horrified at the idea of having the Kyuubi brat in his class. He had actually gone directly to the Hokage to complain, only to be overruled and threatened with removal from the academy on the grounds of bias.

To his surprise, Naruto had actually been a quiet and attentive student rather than a troublemaker. While he had continued to harbor his doubts about the young boy initially, they had quickly faded when he realized just how withdrawn and lonely Naruto was. He rarely interacted with any of his classmates except when absolutely required, and had not even bothered to try in the class at first.

When Iruka had confronted him on this fact, Naruto had been extremely hesitant and cagey about the reasons why he was doing so. This had forced Iruka to conduct his own investigation into the matter. He had been stunned to discover that Naruto had suffered from a deliberate policy of neglect and discrimination prior to being transferred into his class.

After Iruka has learned this, he had immediately explained to Naruto that while he would not show any favoritism towards students, he could and would grade any work that Naruto happened to do fairly and without any sort of bias. Following this, he had been pleased to see that Naruto had started to apply himself in class.

The only thing that he had continued to have slight misgivings on was the boy's interest in sealing. While he had first thought that it was the influence of the Kyuubi seeking a way to escape, he had quickly learned that Naruto loved Fuinjutsu for the sake of Fuinjutsu itself. That being said, he still wished that he had made the discovery of this fact in a slightly different fashion

Iruka suppressed a shudder at remembering the scroll that he had confiscated from Naruto nearly two years ago. To his shock, it had contained a series of notes and diagrams related to the creation of an explosive tag, which were banned from academy students because of their potential lethality and overall destructiveness. When he had actually sat down to read it, he had discovered that it was actually superior in design to the majority of the explosive tags available to Konoha ninja.

_That kid shows a pronounced talent for seeking outside the box_, Iruka thought in wonder. _Not to mention I've never even heard of someone who soaks up the theory of the subject as avidly as he does. He's already at the level of most Chuunin in terms of actual seal creation, let alone theory._

The thought of Naruto as a Chuunin pulled him back to the present, and he gathered the tests back together into a neat stack, his mind back on the subject of the current graduation test. Iruka was already pondering the arrangements of the teams, which would be based on the rank of the students graduating.

_I hope that Naruto manages to pass the final portion of the test_. Iruka thought to himself, _He has done well enough so far to put himself in the running for Rookie of the Year. All that is left is the Ninjutsu Demonstration. Based on his performance thus far, he should have no problem at all performing a Bunshin if he has been practicing it._

Iruka winced abruptly, berating himself for the unprofessional train of thought he had wandered down. As a teacher, he needed to be completely impartial and unbiased. The last thing that he needed to do was show favoritism towards any particular student.

He glanced up at the clock, and then gave a start of surprise at the time it displayed. _It took me that long to finish?_ He thought in consternation, _I'm supposed to meet Naruto at Ichiraku Ramen in 10 minutes! I can't believe that I just sat here woolgathering._

As he rushed about his office frantically, he was unable to stop the rueful thought; _And I don't demonstrate favoritism towards any of my students…yeah right._


	4. Introduction Arc: Academy Graduation

Author Note: Still searching for a Beta Reader, if anyone would like to do so, please let me know ASAP! While this chapter is still part of the Introduction Arc, it's finally in the actual story line of the manga/anime. My first attempt at an action scene, any feedback is greatly appreciated.

**Yondaime's Heritage  
Introduction Arc: Academy Graduation**

Naruto stared forward unseeingly, his gaze fixed on some distant point in front of him. The pencil spun around his fingertips in a blur of motion, the speed of its movements the only indication of his nervousness. While he knew that Sasuke had strutted off less than a minute ago, time had seemed to slow to a snail's pace as Naruto waited for his own name to be called.

_Why does it have to be Bunshin no Jutsu? _Naruto thought in frustration, _I can do Henge and Kawarimi better than most of the other students, but not Bunshin. I just can't do the stupid jutsu consistently no matter how much time I spend practicing it. Since no one else in the class has any trouble at all with it, it has to do with my chakra. I've read about several methods that to improve your chakra control, but Iruka says that they are too advanced to be taught at the academy. What am I going to do?!…_

He was jolted back into the reality by the sound his name. "Uzumaki Naruto."

The pencil fell from his suddenly motionless fingers as Naruto glanced up and saw Iruka standing in the front of the classroom, looking expectantly at him. He stood up quickly, and walked towards the door, the pencil lying on the floor underneath his desk, already forgotten.

***

Naruto formed the single hand seal required for the Bunshin no Jutsu slowly and deliberately as he could, while he attempted to channel as little chakra as possible. He opened his mouth to call out the name of the jutsu, but even as he said it, he felt his chakra suddenly flare out of control. As the smoke cleared, he looked to either side of him apprehensively. While he had managed to create three clones, all of them were pale and appeared to be wavering in and out of existence, with one dispelling in a puff of smoke even as he watched it.

"You fail."

While Iruka's tone had been impassive, Naruto immediately noticed the disappointed eyes in Iruka's otherwise expressionless face. He knew that it was hopeless to protest, especially since the Ninjutsu Demonstration was the single most important aspect of the final, as it proved that the student was capable of performing basic ninjutsu techniques.

"Well, he did manage to create all three clones Iruka." Mizuki said suddenly. "He also performed extremely well on the rest of the exam. Are you sure that you aren't being a little too harsh?"

Naruto was immensely surprised to hear that Mizuki was supporting him. Mizuki-sensei had always given Naruto a funny feeling. While he acted a lot nicer than Iruka-sensei, Naruto had also noticed that he tended to play favorites a lot in class.

_I was never one of those favorites._ He thought, _Not to mention those calculating looks that I have noticed him giving me. Why is he defending me now of all times?_

"No, the requirement for Bunshin no Jutsu is three perfect clones of the user." Iruka replied with a shake of his head. "While Naruto did manage to create the minimum number, one of them dispelled almost immediately, and the other two are far too insubstantial. I cannot pass him."

***

Naruto walked down the corridor of the academy, his shoulders slumped in defeat. He saw a stray pebble laying on the floor, and kicked it savagely, watching as it skittered down the corridor. As he approached the main entrance, he saw a large crowd of other students had gathered there, all of them proudly displaying the headband that they had just received. Naruto pushed through them roughly, ignoring the cries of outrage that arose at his impolite actions.

Before long, he was sitting at the swing that hung from the tree across from the academy. As he watched, several of the parents shot him cold looks before turning back to their own children. He felt a wave of despair pass over him as he listened to the former students being congratulated and rewarded for their success. Naruto looked away, unable to watch any longer. He found himself unable to escape the whispered comments of the adults however.

He looked upward as he suddenly sensed a presence above him. Mizuki was standing on the branch above him, a reassuring smile on his face, as he extended a hand down to Naruto. After a brief hesitation, Naruto reached up and grasped it.

***

A few short minutes later, the two were sitting on the balcony of Naruto's apartment. Naruto was staring out over Konoha, oblivious to the intent look that Mizuki was giving his back.

"Don't feel so bad about it." Mizuki said, his comforting tone of voice a marked contrast from the careful study of Naruto his eyes were making.

"I know." Naruto mumbled in response, "I just don't want to wait a whole year to retake the test."

"What if I told you that there was a way for you to graduate tonight instead of waiting another year?" Mizuki paused for a moment, before continuing. "Iruka wasn't sure if you were going to be up to it, but I don't have any doubts about your abilities."

"What are you talking about Mizuki-sensei?" Naruto asked in puzzlement.

"Have you ever heard of the Scroll of Sealing?" Mizuki asked, looking at Naruto seriously.

"No." Naruto answered, his eyes opened wide in surprise. "Why, Mizuki-sensei?"

"The Scroll of Sealing is a scroll of advanced jutsu. Everything in the scroll is at least B-rank, and most are significantly higher." Mizuki explained. "It's a key part of the secret graduation test. To pass the secret test, you must retrieve the scroll from the Hokage's office and learn at least one of the jutsu within the scroll. Additionally, you must do so without being apprehended."

"Isn't that illegal?" Naruto questioned, staring hard at Mizuki.

"Not at all." Mizuki said with a small laugh. "Everyone knows what's really happening, they are just pretending otherwise to make it as realistic as possible."

"Then why haven't I heard of it?" Naruto asked.

"There's a reason that it's called the _secret_ graduation test." Mizuki replied seriously. "Only those students who we think capable of performing it are given it as an option."

Naruto hesitated, a variety of emotions playing out on his face. While the entire thing still sounded suspicious to him, he felt a rush of satisfaction that Mizuki thought him able to accomplish it. _Not to mention there has to be a lot of cool jutsu in the scroll._ Naruto thought eagerly. _He said at least B-rank, that's way better than the E-ranks we get taught at the academy._

"I'll do it." Naruto said, nodding his head to demonstrate his resolve.

"Good. I want you to meet me at a small cabin outside of Konoha." Mizuki said. " It's normally used as a perimeter watch station, but there won't be anyone there tonight. I will get there at 0600, and if you have learn a jutsu by then, I can graduate you."

Mizuki watched as Naruto nodded in acknowledgement, before standing and immediately jumping away. _You are so easy to manipulate. _He thought maliciously as watched Naruto disappear. _Soon, you will be dead and I will have the Forbidden Scroll to myself._

*****

"Naruto, what do you think that you are doing?" The Hokage asked sternly.

Naruto spun around, dropping the Forbidden Scroll in surprise. He looked around, but saw only the Hokage. Naruto let out a small sigh of relief, despite the angry glare that the Hokage was giving him.

"The secret graduation test." Naruto finally answered, his eyes darting around the room and refusing to meet the Hokage's gaze.

"I don't know what you are talking about, but we obviously need to have a long talk." The Hokage said with a shake of his head. "Now I need you to put that scroll back."

Naruto shrugged, before picking the scroll back up. A smile appeared on his face as he took one final look around the room. He then sprinted for the window, only for the Hokage to appear in front of him, his eyes hard.

"Do you think that you can just walk out of here?" The Hokage asked, an edge of menace entering his voice.

"Sorry Ji-ji, but I have to go." Naruto answered mischievously. "Don't you think that you should check the rest of the room before worrying about me?"

The Hokage immediately looked up, and saw explosive tags attached to several important items around the room, including most of the scroll cases and even his prized crystal ball. His eyes widened with horror as he saw them all activate and begin to burn merrily. A sudden crash returned his attention to Naruto, who made the most of the Hokage's momentary distraction. The Hokage caught a brief glimpse of Naruto's back as he leapt out the window, before dismissing him and rushing to deactivate the tags before they could detonate.

*****

Naruto arrived at the outpost, glancing back over his shoulder nervously. The only good thing about being the village pariah, he thought sardonically, was that it made developing stealth skills a necessity. Satisfied that no one had succeeded in following him to the location, he sat down on the porch, unrolling the Forbidden Scroll and spreading it out before him to examine.

_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu?!_ Naruto thought in surprise as he read the first jutsu listed in the Forbidden Scroll. _An advanced variation of the Bunshin no Jutsu that creates a one or more solid clones and distributes the user's chakra evenly among every clone created... I wonder if it is the same jutsu that was in the book?_ Naruto continued to read the description of the jutsu avidly, his mind awhirl with possibilities.

The moon moved steadily across the night sky as time passed. Its light shone down on the form of Naruto, who continued to study the Forbidden Scroll intently.

*****

Iruka laid in his bed, staring up at the moon, the Hokage's words still running though his mind. _"I understand how you feel Iruka, but you need to remember that Naruto is an orphan just like yourself." _Iruka shut his eyes in anguish, the memories of twelve years ago replaying itself in his mind. He felt torn between two different sides, unable to choose either for his heart lay on both equally.

The sound of somebody pounding on his door shook him out of his reverie. Iruka rolled out of bed and moved quickly over to the door. When he opened it, he was shocked to see Mizuki standing before him, a frantic expression on his face.

"Iruka, come quickly. Naruto has stolen the Forbidden Scroll from the Hokage's office." Mizuki explained rapidly. "The Hokage is summoning every available chuunin and jounin to deal with the situation."

"The Forbidden Scroll?!" Iruka repeated, a horrified look appearing on his face. He shook his head in denial of the fact, hoping that he would somehow awaken from this nightmare. Seeing that Mizuki was still waiting patiently for him, he collected enough composure to finally respond. "Go Mizuki, I'll meet you there momentarily."

***

Iruka landed lightly before running to join the crowd of shinobi standing before the Hokage. He felt his expression stiffen as he heard the angry mutterings of the other ninja and the grim expression on the Hokage's face. Almost involuntarily, his eyes shifted over to look at the team of ANBU that were standing silently behind the Hokage.

"Bring Naruto to me immediately!" The Hokage ordered, the sound of his voice cutting though the hubbub like that of a knife, as he gestured sharply in dismissal.

"Yes, Sir!" Iruka responded along with the others, before jumping away. He bounded along the rooftops, his mind already wondering where Naruto could be hiding, and hoping that he would be the one to find him.

*****

"Naruto!"

The sound of a familiar voice yelling his name made Naruto look up from his work. He saw Iruka land on the ground in front of him, his expression just as angry as the Hokage's had been.

"Iruka-sensei?" Naruto answered in surprise, "It's only 5 o'clock, Mizuki-sensei didn't say that he was going to get here for another hour. What are you doing here?"

The matter of fact response made Iruka hesitate in astonishment. He looked over Naruto, immediately noticing that he was breathing heavily. A small scroll that was filled with Naruto's characteristic scrawled writing style was resting next to him, and the Forbidden Scroll was leaning haphazardly against the wall of the cabin behind him.

_He has been sitting here and practicing most of the night. _Iruka thought in confusion. _Why would he do that after stealing the Forbidden Scroll?_

"Well, even though you got hear an hour early, I still managed to learn a jutsu from the scroll." Naruto's statement interrupted Iruka's train of thought. "Can you graduate me from the academy?"

"What are you talking about?" Iruka asked, stepping back in surprise. "Who told you that? Is that why you stole the Forbidden Scroll?"

"Mizuki-sensei told me." Naruto replied slowly. "He said that taking the Forbidden Scroll was part of the secret graduation test…" His voice trailed off abruptly, and he stood there mutely, looking horrified at his actions.

Iruka stiffened as he heard Naruto's explanation. _Mizuki?! He was the one who told me that Naruto had stolen the Forbidden Scroll in the first place. What kind of ga-_

Sensing a presence behind him, Iruka spun desperately, one hand knocking Naruto to safety. He gasped in pain as several kunai and shuriken pierced his body, and he staggered back to lean heavily against the wall of the outpost.

"How did you end up here?" Mizuki asked mockingly, still crouched on top of a tree branch overlooking the outpost.

Iruka gritted his teeth in pain as he stared up at Mizuki. "So you're the one responsible for this." He spat angrily.

Mizuki straightened and turned to Naruto, ignoring Iruka. "Naruto, give me the scroll!" He ordered harshly.

"And why would I do that?" Naruto asked questioningly, his eyes darting between the two chuunin. He picked up the scroll, swinging it onto his back and started to slowly back away from the two of them.

"Naruto!" Iruka said frantically. "Whatever you do, don't let Mizuki get his hands on that scroll. He was using you to get his hands on it. It's full of dangerous kinjutsu!" He winced as he tugged a kunai free of his leg and tossed it aside.

Mizuki merely smiled, his gaze meeting Naruto's glare easily. "Naruto, nobody in the village wants you to have that scroll. Everyone fears what you could do with that in your hands."

"What are you talking about?" Naruto dropped his glare and stared at Mizuki in bewilderment, his thoughts of flight forgotten.

"Let me tell you an S-rank secret that was put in place twelve years ago." Mizuki answered, his eyes glinting evilly.

Don't!" Iruka screamed in a frantic plea, only to groan in pain and slide down the cabin as Mizuki casually hurled another kunai at him.

"It was put in place after the attack on Konoha, and you cannot even be told of the existence of the secret." Mizuki paused dramatically, "The secret is that Uzumaki Naruto can never be called a demon fox."

"W-wh-what?" Naruto stammered in shock.

"To put more simply, you are the Kyuubi that attacked the village twelve years ago. Haven't you ever wondered why all the adults hate you? That's the reason that you will never be recognized by anyone!" Mizuki finished explaining, grinning at the expression of frozen horror that had appeared on Naruto.

"It's a lie!" Naruto finally cried, looking up at Mizuki desperately.

"It's the complete truth." Mizuki said calmly, as he pulled one of his giant shuriken from back and hurled it at Naruto. "Now die, Kyuubi!"

Naruto had fallen to his back in shock, and could only stare at the giant shuriken as it came flying at him, glinting with lethal purpose. He closed his eyes, unwilling to watch his death approach.

"Naruto!" The sound of Iruka's voice made his eyes shoot back open, and he saw that Iruka was abruptly crouched above him protectively. As he stared in surprise, Iruka abruptly gasped, blood flying out of his mouth.

"I don't hate you." Iruka said slowly, in response to Naruto's questioning gaze. "You're an orphan just like me. It's hard growing up alone without anyone. I'm sorry, Naruto." He paused, tears streaming out his eyes, before continuing in a low voice raspy with pain, "I should have been there more for you. You aren't the Kyuubi."

Mizuki barked a harsh laugh as he listened to the tender scene before him. "It's all a lie, Naruto. Iruka wants the Forbidden Scroll just as much as I do. Do you really think that he could care for you? You're the one who killed his parents in the first place."

Naruto shook his head frantically, before leaping to his feet and dashing off. Iruka stared after him, before he called Naruto's name desperately. Naruto didn't even pause for a backward glance, leaping up to the trees and disappearing into the forest, leaving Iruka crouched there, one hand still reaching out towards him in an imploring gesture.

*****

Naruto landed on the branch heavily, panting with exertion. The rapid dash away from the two chuunin had burnt away most of his initial panic, and given him the time that he needed to regain control of his emotions. Naruto carefully scanned his surroundings before he dropped down to the forest floor. He took another quick look around to ensure that he was alone, and then performed the jutsu.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

He then glanced over at the clone that had appeared next to him. Naruto thought quickly, before deciding on a course of action. He swung the scroll off his back and handed it to the clone, still watching alertly for any sign that he was no longer alone.

"Return the scroll to the Hokage and explain the situation." He ordered. "I need to check up on what's happening with Iruka-sensei and Mizuki. Dispel once you have done so, that will inform me that you have completed your task."

The clone nodded, before hefting the scroll onto its back and darting away. He watched it until it had disappeared, then quickly leapt back into the treetops himself.

*****

"Naruto, stop!" Iruka yelled desperately, as he closed on the swiftly moving figure of Naruto as he bounded through the branches on all fours.

"Give me the scroll. I can protect it from Mizuki." He implored, "I'm a chuunin too!"

Naruto ignored Iruka, and continued to leap through the trees, giving no sigh that he had even heard the chuunin speak to him. Iruka suppressed a grimace of frustration, and reached out for Naruto's shoulder as he landed next to him. As he did so, Naruto abruptly spun and threw a punch directly at Iruka. Taken completely off guard, Iruka was thrown from his perch to the forest floor. As he skidded away from Naruto, the Henge dispelled in a puff of smoke, leaving Mizuki glowering at Naruto, who had stopped, and was looking down at Mizuki with an expression of determination.

"How did you know it was a Henge?" Mizuki snarled angrily.

"Simple." Naruto replied, before leaping at Mizuki. Mizuki blocked the initial attack easily, not about to be taken by surprise for a second time. The two exchanged a rapid series of blows, Iruka's henge dispelling from a stray strike in the midst of the vicious melee. Abruptly, the two chuunin broke apart from their fight and stood facing each other.

Mizuki lowered his stance slightly, and cocked his head quizzically at Iruka. "Why are you helping the brat?" He asked in an interested tone, "You know that he's nothing more than the Kyuubi."

Iruka shook his head in denial, his face grim. "Naruto is not the Kyuubi. You were his teacher too, I don't know how you can believe that."

"Don't be foolish, Iruka." Mizuki said cajoling, "You should be helping me, not him. Isn't that what you owe your parents?"

"I will never betray a student." Iruka replied firmly. "Nor do I think letting an idiot like you get the scroll is a good idea."

"Idiot? Naruto is the same as I am." Mizuki shook his head. "You honestly think that he is going to miss the opportunity that he has now? With the Forbidden Scroll, he can unseal himself and become the Kyuubi once more."

Iruka sighed as he heard that comment. "If Naruto actually was the Kyuubi, then what you are saying would be true. He isn't the Kyuubi though, the Kyuubi was sealed inside of him by the Yondaime Hokage."

***

Naruto flattened himself against the tree, listening to the conversation between the two chuunin with a rising sense of fury. _Not if I can help it. _He thought angrily. _You'll get what you deserve Mizuki, I'll see to that myself. Just hold on a few more minutes, Iruka-sensei!_

He peered around the corner of the tree, checking one final time to make sure that Mizuki had still failed to notice his presence, and then slipped away like a shadow.

***

"Nobody knows if that's really the case." Mizuki argued. "With a demon like the Kyuubi, anything is possible! Do you really want to take that sort of chance with Konoha as the stakes?"

"I trust both the Sandaime and Yondaime." Iruka said calmly. "Naruto is not the Kyuubi in any way. He is an excellent student who works hard despite the lack of recognition afforded to him. He is Uzumaki Naruto of Konoha, nothing more and nothing less."

"I guess that it was pointless ever trying to reason with you." Mizuki spat contemptuously.

"We agree on that much, traitor." Iruka replied with a grim smile, before charging at Mizuki once more. Mizuki easily ducked underneath Iruka's attack and unleashed his own barrage of taijutsu strikes at the already wounded chuunin.

Iruka winced as he barely blocked another of Mizuki's kicks, the other chuunin had always had a slight edge in taijutsu over him. With his current injuries, Mizuki had a decided advantage in this fight. _I have to finish this quickly._ He thought desperately, as he dodged another attack. He swiftly palmed a kunai and lunged at Mizuki, stabbing with all of his remaining speed and strength.

The kunai pierced Mizuki's stomach, and Iruka felt a brief flash of triumph that was turned to bitter ashes as Mizuki's body was replaced by a log. _Kawarimi._ He thought in despair as he sensed that Mizuki was behind him. Iruka tried to spin to face his opponent, but caught a savage blow that sending him flying away into a tree. He slid slowly down the trunk, no longer having the strength to hold a taijutsu stance. He stared up at Mizuki, who was standing in front of him triumphantly. Mizuki pulled the giant shuriken from his back slowly and mockingly, before spinning it on one hand with steadily increasing speed.

"Die!" Mizuki hissed, hurling the giant shuriken at Iruka savagely.

The giant shuriken sped towards Iruka, making a lethal hum as it cut through the air. Iruka tensed as it flew at him, knowing that he had already sustained too many injuries to avoid the attack. _So this is how it ends._ He thought in resigned acceptance. _I just hope that I managed to delay Mizuki long enough for Naruto to get away._

Mizuki gaped in astonishment as a kunai deflected the shuriken, neatly redirecting its path away from Iruka and into a tree. Before he could recover from the sudden event, a haymaker connected with his face, throwing him backwards. He quickly flipped in mid-air, landing on his feet and staring his new attacker in surprise.

"I won't let a bastard like you hurt Iruka-sensei." Naruto said determinedly, standing squarely between Mizuki and his intended target.

"You think that a stupid little failure like you will be able to stop me?" Mizuki asked with a laugh, "I'm a Chuunin and you didn't even manage to graduate the academy."

He let out an evil laugh as his hand darted down to his shuriken holster, drawing and hurling a kunai at Naruto with lightning speed. The kunai embedded itself in Naruto's chest, throwing his body back onto the dirt with a limp finality. Iruka stared in horror, Mizuki's spiteful laughter still ringing in his ears, when the body abruptly disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Both of the chuunin continued to look at the kunai lying on the suddenly empty patch of ground, before the sound of a familiar voice made them glance over at the direction it was coming from.

"I am well aware of your rank as a Chuunin, that's why I wasn't about to confront you face to face." Naruto explained as he landed lightly next to the tree that the giant shuriken had buried itself in. He pulled it free of the trunk and began to spin it around his own hand with a single deft movement.

Iruka looked over at Naruto in surprise, only to start in astonishment as he felt someone begin to carefully lift him to his feet. He turned his head and was shocked to see that it was yet another Naruto that was supporting his weight.

Mizuki was staring at the two Naruto's with a mystified expression on his face. The Naruto aiding Iruka looked over at Mizuki, before speaking in a tone of immense satisfaction. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

"So you did manage to learn something from that scroll brat, but it's not going to help you." Mizuki sneered before being forced to jump backwards to avoid the giant shuriken as it came arcing towards him. He landed easily, pulling another kunai from his equipment pouch and crouching for a lunge. Before he could move, a third Naruto spoke from behind him.

"Farankusu Bakuha Fuin no Jutsu." He said. "Surely such an accomplished Chuunin like yourself must have heard of it before. I wouldn't recommend moving."

Mizuki hesitated, his eyes darting around warily at the tags that were currently surrounding him. He began to straighten from his crouch before shaking his head derisively.

"As if someone as inept as you could set up a B-rank Fuinjutsu trap. You're just bluffing!"

"Actually, Iruka-sensei says that I've already surpassed him in Fuinjutsu." Naruto replied coldly, "Why don't we find out though? **Kai!**"

Mizuki's eyes widened in horror as he saw all of the tags activate simultaneously. Before he could do anything else, a huge ball of fire engulfed him. He was blasted skyward, badly scorched and barely hanging onto consciousness from the immense concussion of the explosion. As Mizuki's eyes fluttered back open, he saw Naruto above him, who ended his flight with a swift punch that returned him to the ground abruptly.

Naruto landed lightly next to Mizuki, and looked over his form carefully. He paused for a moment, and then kicked him viciously in the ribs, nodding in satisfaction at the faint moan that Mizuki made in response. He stood there, then abruptly spun and began sprinting towards Iruka, who had watched the entire battle in amazement.

"Iruka-sensei! Are you all right? Mizuki didn't hurt you too badly before I could get her-"

The stream of questions spilling from Naruto's mouth stopped as Iruka placed one finger over his mouth in gentle admonishment. He then looked down at Naruto seriously, before stepping free from the supporting clone and placing both of his hands on Naruto's shoulders.

"Don't worry about me Naruto. I will be just fine. Now, I want you to close your eyes for a second."

Naruto met Iruka's gaze for a moment, looking at him questioningly, then shrugged and closed his eyes. He felt Iruka's hands leave his shoulders and tensed, before he felt something being tied around his forehead. His eyes shot open in surprise and he looked up at Iruka in wonder.

"Congratulations, Naruto. You graduate." Iruka said kindly, a proud smile on his face.

Naruto reached up to touch the forehead protector with shaking hands, staring at Iruka's own forehead, which was now bare. He could feel moisture begin to gather in his eyes as he gazed back at Iruka, a tremulous smile now appearing on his face.

He took a single step backward, and then bowed deeply to Iruka to express his gratitude. As he straightened, he felt Iruka sweep him up into a hug, and he returned it gratefully, tears of happiness now streaming down his face in earnest.

*****

Sarutobi Hiruzen watched the scene in the forest with a satisfied smile on his face. He waved his hand over the crystal ball, dissipating the concentration of chakra within it, before looking up at the ANBU standing at attention in front of him.

"Call off the search for Naruto immediately." He ordered.

"As you command, Hokage-sama." The ANBU replied, kneeling in acknowledgement.

"We were fortunate that the situation did not escalate to the point that your particular talents were required." Hiruzen mused as the ANBU rose to his feet.

"Indeed, Hokage-sama." The ANBU inclined his head in acknowledgement of the statement, before disappearing in a sudden swirl of leaves.

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, puffing on his pipe complacently. He glanced over at the scroll resting in the corner of one room and felt a feeling of approval for Naruto run through him. _Of all the possible results, this is the best one that could have happened._ Hiruzen thought contentedly._ Naruto, you continue to impress me._

*****

Notes:

***** - Major Scene Change

*** - Minor Scene Change/Perspective Change

**Canon Jutsu:**  
The basic descriptions of the jutsu are taken from with additional author notes made underneath them.

**Bunshin no Jutsu – Clone Technique (E-rank)**  
Bunshin no Jutsu is a Ninjutsu technique which every ninja learns at the Ninja Academy. The Bunshin technique creates a copy of the ninja without substance. The copy resembles the ninja in every way. This clone can function as a distraction or as means to confuse one's opponent. As soon the Bunshin gets attacked or comes into contact with an opponent, it will disperse.  
Bunshin no Jutsu requires a high degree of chakra control to perform. The higher than normal chakra that Naruto possess makes this jutsu extremely difficult for him to perform successfully. Bunshin no Jutsu is also utilized in several more advanced jutsu as it is one of the easiest jutsu to perform without requiring hand seals.

**Henge no Jutsu – Transformation Technique (E-rank)  
**Henge no Jutsu is a ninjutsu technique which every ninja learns at the Ninja Academy. Henge allows the ninja to transform themselves into any person or object. This allows the ninja to move with stealth or to trick their opponents.  
The greater the transformation that the user chooses to perform, the greater the chakra cost. Naruto is one of the few characters who is capable of consistently using this jutsu to change into objects such as kunai and shuriken as his chakra reserves are capable of handling this use. While most ninja who are ranked Tobekstu Jounin or above are also capable of duplicating this feat, they generally have other jutsu that they would prefer to utilize their chakra for.

**Kawarimi no Jutsu – Replacement Technique (E-rank) **  
Kawarimi no Jutsu is a basic Ninjutsu technique. When in danger the ninja will quickly substitute them self with another nearby object. This can be a block of wood or even another person. This allows the ninja to quickly flee and hide while the original object takes the brunt of their opponents attack.  
Like all other E-rank techniques, Kawarimi no Jutsu can be performed without hand seals with relative ease. The user may choose to leave a brief afterimage to mislead the opponent, though this costs considerably more chakra than normal. Additionally, this misdirection is useless against any doujutsu. Naruto is capable of accomplishing this technique by utilizing far more chakra than necessary for the technique, though this also allows him to be capable of substituting himself with objects far more quickly and farther than normally possible.

**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu – Shadow Clone Technique (B-rank)  
**Kage Bunshin is a Jounin level Ninjutsu technique. The Kage Bunshin distributes the ninja's chakra evenly among the clones and creates a real copy with form and substance. The clone itself can also utilize any jutsu the original ninja knows. When the clone finally disperses, any new knowledge it has gained is passed back to the original ninja and any additional clones. This makes Kage Bunshin an excellent training method if the ninja has the chakra capacity and stamina to maintain the Kage Bunshins for an extended period of time. This allows the ninja to essentially reduce the time it takes to train and learn with each clone added. This is especially true when used with Tajuu Kage Bunshin.  
Kage Bunshin no Jutsu is one of the few jutsu that requires hand seals to successfully perform it. It is impossible to master the chakra molding necessary to use this technique without them. Fortunately, Kage Bunshin no Jutsu only requires a single hand seal to perform. A user of Kage Bunshin no Jutsu may also decide how many clones are created at any one time, although the user can not create more than four additional clones. Any additional ones require the user to learn Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. A final note to make with Kage Bunshin no Jutsu is that any knowledge gained by training with them is purely mental. They cannot be used to improved muscle memory or perfect chakra control, as both of these are also physical in nature, though it will shorten the time needed because of the inherent mental knowledge gained.

**Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu – Mass Shadow Clone Technique (A-rank)  
**Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu is an advanced variation of the Kage Bunshin Ninjutsu technique which was banned by the First Hokage. This has not stopped many Jounin-level ninja from learning the technique however. Instead of creating several clones, several hundred clones are created. Like normal Kage Bunshin a ninja's chakra is split evenly among the clones when created.  
The main differences between Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu and Kage Bunshin no Jutsu is the number of clones that are created. Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu also requires significantly more chakra to use, enough to kill most Chuunin from chakra depletion. Finally, any clones created by Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu are far more shortly lived than any counterparts created with Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, lasting no more than an hour in most cases, although Naruto's clones are capable of remaining in existence significantly longer than this because of his high chakra reserves.

**Original Jutsu:**

**Farankusu Bakuha Fuin no Jutsu – Phalanx Blast Seal Technique (B-rank)  
**Farankusu Bakuha Fuin no Jutsu is an advanced Fuinjutsu technique. The technique consists of a series of linked explosive tags that are meant to explode simultaneously. All of the tags are focused to direct their blast inwards towards a specific point rather than a broad explosion and chained together by chakra threads. The tags are rigged to explode either when any of the threads are broken by being crossed, or by command. The two main drawbacks to the technique is the set up time that this technique requires as well as the difficulty in manipulating the chakra to create the linking threads and refocusing the blast.

Hand Seals:

Hand Seals automatically mold the chakra of the user in a set pattern and amount. A jutsu is performed by utilizing hand seals in various combinations after initially focusing the chakra and then initialization of the chakra. In most cases, it is possible to perform a jutsu without hand seals provided that the user has sufficient experience with the jutsu to mentally mold the chakra without the associated seals. The drawback to this is that unless the user has absolutely perfect chakra control, using the technique will require more chakra than if it had performed with hand seals, though it has the advantage of being significantly quicker. The only exception to this rule is for elemental jutsu that the user both has an affinity for and has already mastered the elemental conversion and manipulation for. In this case, the chakra drain for this technique remains approximately the same.


End file.
